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Ruby in Paradise

Play trailer 0:31 Poster for Ruby in Paradise R 1993 1h 55m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
85% Tomatometer 27 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Ruby Lee Gissing (Ashley Judd) is on the run, determined to find something better than the closed rough life in the mountains of East Tennessee. She flees to a place once visited as a child, the "Redneck Riviera" of Panama City Beach. Arriving during the off-season, Ruby finds work in a gift shop owned by Mildred Chambers (Dorothy Lyman). Always on an emotional and economic edge, Ruby begins to keep a journal, "trying to figure out the whys of running off, of coming here." Ruby's desire to find her own way, to make her own choices, to explore her appetites in her own good time, gets her in and out of trouble as she moves through Winter into the frantic madness of Spring Break and beyond. The resolution of Ruby's journey is both unexpected and hopeful as Ruby indeed finds her own way in "paradise."
Ruby in Paradise

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Led by a magnetic performance from Ashley Judd, the gently subdued Ruby in Paradise perceptively captures one woman's journey of self-discovery.

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Critics Reviews

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EW Staff Entertainment Weekly The film ends up being about whether she'll land on her feet, when what we really want to see is whether she can stand tall. Rated: C+ Feb 4, 2021 Full Review Kevin Thomas Los Angeles Times This is a warm, perceptive film of everyday life, free of epic tragedy, yet it reveals the courage it can take to strike out on one's own and to take charge of one's own destiny. Feb 4, 2021 Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader The tempo is slow and dreamy, but the flavor is rich, and it lasts. Feb 4, 2021 Full Review Liam Trump Film Threat Even though Ruby in Paradise may be lacking when it comes to pacing, there's still plenty to like. Rated: 5/10 Apr 12, 2021 Full Review Linda Cook OurQuadCities / WHBF-TV (Illinois) This film is well worth seeing. Rated: 4/4 Feb 26, 2021 Full Review Steve Persall Tampa Bay Times Ashley Judd has all the makings of a big movie star. Rated: A- Feb 4, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews
Ruby in Paradise

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Movie Info

Synopsis Ruby Lee Gissing (Ashley Judd) is on the run, determined to find something better than the closed rough life in the mountains of East Tennessee. She flees to a place once visited as a child, the "Redneck Riviera" of Panama City Beach. Arriving during the off-season, Ruby finds work in a gift shop owned by Mildred Chambers (Dorothy Lyman). Always on an emotional and economic edge, Ruby begins to keep a journal, "trying to figure out the whys of running off, of coming here." Ruby's desire to find her own way, to make her own choices, to explore her appetites in her own good time, gets her in and out of trouble as she moves through Winter into the frantic madness of Spring Break and beyond. The resolution of Ruby's journey is both unexpected and hopeful as Ruby indeed finds her own way in "paradise."
Director
Victor Nunez
Screenwriter
Victor Nunez
Distributor
Alta Films S.A., October Films
Production Co
Ruby in Paradise, Full Crew/Say Yea
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 8, 1993, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 16, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA)
$77.6K
Runtime
1h 55m
Sound Mix
Stereo